Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-09-30
How could | break the TACT of her i'll


How could break the TACT of her i'll
ness to the poor man?
oh, please be prepared for bad news
I'm so sorry said l. gently " She
is livery ILL.,"
To my surprise. he looked more III
credulous than unhappy lie said very
suddenly:
"She was quite well last Friday after
noon"
"Yes-an accident happened to her
Friday night She fell down a flight Of
stairs and injured herself severely. If
you will only wait until Mr.. Rayncr
comes. he will speak to you. Sarah is
very old servant in this family. and
much respected, and she has every pos
siblc care, assure you.
But he still seemed moro curious
than anxious about her, l thought.
'Shc has been in the family long
time, then? Excuse me, miss, but I've
been away SO long that she is almost
like stranger to me. and l had great
difficulty in finding her out. But I'm
very glad to hear she is thought so well
of. Do you know, miss-if it's not
troubling you too much. and you won't
take it a libcrty-if she's got sweet
hearth
/ hcsitatcd. The mans cold curl
osity seemed SO unlike the warm inter-
est of brother that began to wonder
whether was right in giving him the
information he wanted. My doubts
were SO vague and his questions Sd
very harmless, however, that, when he
said:
81 beg your pardon, miss-of course
it is not for lady like you to interest
yourself in the likes of US"
broke out:
"Oh. pray don't think that! Sarah
has an admircr. know"
stopped. Icould not say any thing
rcassuring about Tom Parkes.
| "Ah! An honest. Woodworking fell
low: l hope. who'll make her a good
husband.
He was more interested now, and
was looking at me very searchingly.
II can't speak to mans prejudice
behind his back,1 said ]. slowly,
"but-"
He was very much itcrcSted at last.
and was waiting impatiently for my
next words when Mr. Rayncr quietly
entered the room. There had been no
ring at the front door. He looked in
quiringly at the man, whom l was just
going to introduce rs Sarah's brother.
when the latter anticipated me by say
ing. quietly:
..From Scotland Yard, sir"
Scotland Yard?" echoed Mr.. Ray
ner. inIuiringly. But the name did
not seem new to him, as it did to me.
Eyes. sir; I've been sent after a
woman named Sarah Gooch, from i'll
formation received that she was in
your service. Mr.. Gervas Rayncr. l
believe, sir?"
Why did he not own he was her
brother? thought to myself.
Yes, that is my name. But what
on earth do you want with my servant
Sarah GoOch?"
The man glanced at me. Mr.. Ray
ner said:
go en-. Never mind this lady; she
is as much interested in the woman rs
l am. What do You want with my old
servant Sarah?"
"Suspcctod of completely in the Dem
ham Court robbery. sir-somc of the
property traced to her."
l started violently This man, then,
was not Sarah's brother ut all, but Il
detective who had been trying to ex-
tract information from me bv trick!
MIR. Rayner stared full in his face for a
few moments, as if unable to find
words; then he exclaimed. in n low
voice:
"lmpossible!'
"Sorry to shake your trust in an old
servant, sir; but proof is proof"
But what proof have you?" asked
Mr.. Rayner. earnestly.
Last Friday afternoon, between
half-past four and twenty minutes to
five, your servant Sarah Gooch was
seen to give the contents of n black
bag to man in Beaconsburg. The
fact excited no suspicion. The man
took the next train to London. travel
ing second-class. But south of Col
chester he was seized with fit; he was
taken out Mt the next station, the bag
he had with him examined for his ad-
dress, jewels found in it. and the police
at Scotland Yard communicated with.
The man escaped; but, on inquiries be-
ing made, witnesses were found to
prove cOnclusively that the biscuit-tin
which contained the Jewels had been
handed to him in street in BeacOns-
burg. on Friday afternoon. between
half-past four and twenty minutes to
five, by q woman who was identified a.
Sarah Gooch."
remembered seeing Sarah pass
through the plantation on Friday after
noon, on her way to Beaconsfield, with
the black bag. But / was too horror
stricken to speak, even if ! had not
been, now that the blow had fallen, as
anxious to screen her rs Mr.. Rayner
himself was to prove her innocent.
Mr.. Rayner still protested that he
could not believe in Sarah's guilt.
The detective said that as the Jewels
had been traced to her tho next thing
was to see and question her. Mr.. Ray
nor told him he could sec and judge for
himself whether she was In condition
to answer questions. He asked me to
accompany him to the room and we
went up together. Sarah lay moaning
and muttering. feebly. A glance was
sufficient to show the detective that her
illness was no sham. but ho remained
for some time listening to her mutter-
ings.
"You sce," Mr.. Rayner said, as they
left the room. ''shc is quite unable to
speak for herself at present. You
shall remain hero all night and when
the DOCTOR copes In the morning he
may be able to tell you when She win
be able to talk"
A room was ordered prepared for the
detective and Mr.. Rayner treated him
with much courtesy. Jane being alb.
sent the work of putting tho room in
order fell upon the cook. at which she
grumbled very much. Mr.. Rayner en-
tered whilo she was complaining and
said:
II am afraid havo cntailed o good
deal of trouble upon you. cook, by
thoughtlessly giving Jane permission
to spend the night ut the farm if the
fog grew thick; so l have just asked
Mrs Saunders to take her upstairs
duties till Jane comes back, in return
for which you will be kind enough to
watch by Sarah during her unavoid-
able absences"
This silenced the cook ct once. It
was just punishment for her grumb-
ling. for there was no duty she would
not rather have undertaken thou III OF